Congratulations on your daughter's excellent selection of her college. Go Green! Last summer, we had an excellent dinner at Dusty's Cellar in Okemos. Beyond our expectations, really. We've had good dinners at the Knight Cap on G. River in Lansing. El Azteco on Abbott has been slammed on this board, but for quick and dirty Mexican, it's pretty good, tho probably not the dining out "treat" that parents might like to provide.

The Knight Cap is on Michigan Ave. (not Grand River) in downtown Lansing 3 or 4 blocks east of the Capitol.

In downtown Lansing, you might also consider Troppo on the southeast corner of Michigan and Washington, Majority in the new Boji Tower across Allegan from the Capitol, or Mediteran on south Washington, just north of Kalamazoo (the menu has a section of Bosnian dishes, which I'm told by a native of Bosnia are good).

Harrison Road House is hardly a destination spot but friends and I enjoy the place before a basketball game for beers and burgers. My family and I like El Azteco (I recommend the huevos rancheros, and sometimes but not always the menudo is good). Finally, I recall a post a long time back that there is a Hawaiian joint in town - supposed to be good.

El Azteco is on Albert, not Abbott, between Grove and MAC, 1 block north of Grand River, which is the main drag and dividing line between downtown East Lansing and the MSU campus.

El Azteco is not particularly good (to put it mildly). It's sort of bastardized Tex-Mex. Friends who used to work there have told me that the owner got all of his recipes from one cookbook (although this might not be the case any longer as the menu has grown some over the years). They also told me that the base ingredient in the chile verde sauce is cream of mushroom soup!

that was me who talked about the hawaiian place a while back. it's called L & L Hawaiian BBQ on 4790 S. Hagadorn right across the street from campus. I haven't been there for since about september so i'm not sure if it's still there or not. It was pretty good.

There is a very good family-owned Italian restaurant on Grand River, between Okemos and Williamston, called Spagnuolo's. My boyfriend was a pizza chef there during college and they were very yummy. They also have the usual complement of Italian entrees. On weekends they are packed, so be prepared.

There also used to be a restaurant in Williamston, called Red Cedar Grill, I believe. I haven't been there in years, but if it still exists, I highly recommend it.

Finally, Beggar's Banquet on Abbott, 1/2 block from campus is wonderful. On Wednesday, all bottles of wine are half off. And, on Sunday they have a great brunch, and 1/2 off glasses of wine.

Beggar's (I haven't been in years) got some national press in 1992 when one of the presidential debates (Clinton, Bush I, Perot) was held on the MSU campus. As I recall, Clinton people went to Beggar's afterwards and it was written up in the Times.

A number of years ago I was on business frequently in East Lansing and Beggar's Banquet was always my choice for lunch or dinner. Took darling daughter there for lunch a month or two ago and the meal was totally mediocre. Don't know if it's changed hands--still a cool atmosphere, funky and comfortable, but the food was a total let down. Really disappointing.

By far the best restaurant in East Lansing is All Seasons Bistro. The menu is seasonal and the chef is a wizard with sauces. They just recently opened for lunch which I haven't yet tried. Location, Lake Lansing Road near I127 (near the Lake Lansing Road Meijer store). It's in a strip mall so it's a little hard to find, but well worth the effort.